This is Our Festival
by Wolf Maid
Summary: There are six people who always come to these dinners, and there’s only one rule: No shop talk. Friendshippyness. Beckett, Shep, Weir, Teyla, Ronon, McKay. Plus, Brown, Heightmeyer, Caldwell, Lorne, Zelenka, & Cadman .


AN: I wanted to write an SGA fic that wasn't angsty or too buddy-buddy. This is what happened.

There are six people who always come to these dinners, and there's only one rule: No shop talk. Friendshippyness.

**./.**

"_Welcome to our family time  
Welcome to our happy to be time  
This is our festival, you know and best of all  
We're happy to share it all_

_Remembering loved ones departed  
Someone dear to your heart  
Finding love, and planning a future  
Telling stories and laughing with friends  
Precious moments you'll never forget"_

--"Welcome" Phil Collins

**./.**

… **This is Our Festival…**

**./.**

There is one rule and one rule only for these dinners.

No shop talk.

There's a core group of people who always attend, and a larger group that drifts in and out, which makes sense because that's how Atlantis works, smaller groups all orbiting around a center—the heart of the city.

John Sheppard is the head of the Atlantis military. He's also the head of Atlantis' flagship team. He's at the heart of much of the gossip going around, from _I heard he's got a crush on Dr. Weir_ to _and he needed seventeen stitches!_ He's getting legendary from the standing up to bad guys and getting kidnapped and wooing ladies, but he doesn't let it go to his head. Atlantis is a big city, but he rarely forgets a face or a name, and they've come to count on him and McKay finding a way when there rightly shouldn't be.

Rodney McKay is of course the other half of the dynamic duo, and he frequently forgets names and faces, even if he sees them every day. He's abrasive, brilliant, arrogant, terrible with women, and Sheppard's best friend. He's also saved the city more than most people like to contemplate, and as much as he might like to stay out of the gossip, people are honestly interested by SGA-1, and between the messes he gets into or Sheppard gets him into, there's always some story or other circulating.

Ronon Dex is a bit of a mystery and a good amount of people like it that way. Of course, half the female population is lusting after him, especially since they've got it on good authority that Sheppard's already got his eye on someone. He's fierce, but unexpectedly courteous to the ladies. He's self-confident, and no one can really blame him. He's impatient, but he takes orders well, which the soldiers like. He's scarred and has a legendary tolerance to pain and has proven his loyalty to Atlantis again and again, so even those that would rather avoid him still respect him. But he never has quite good stories as the others.

Teyla Emmagan, the men on Atlantis have decided, is _wicked_ hot. However, she could also break quite a few of their arms, so they always make sure they flirt…respectively. She's too quiet and nice and sincere to stir up any good gossip, unless it's _and then she had to talk to the Chief in order to free Sheppard and McKay _or maybe _Lt. Garren didn't get the memo and tried to hit on Teyla and now Beckett's setting his wrist_. However, she's done good by Atlantis, and for the most part they don't forget that. Some of the women try to get Teyla—Sheppard—Weir triangle rumors going every once and awhile (and really, they're so juicy who can blame them?) but they never amount to much. Some of the soldiers notice how much she trains with Ronon, though.

Elizabeth Weir is the head of the Atlantis expedition. She'd like to think that that would make her a bit above gossip, but unfortunately her name and a certain military leaders name have become tied together and who can resist a love story like that? Besides, as much as she's supposed to be staying on Atlantis, she really does manage to get enough scraps (or get dragged into enough scraps) that certain stories ring of truth. She did not, however, slap Kavanagh. (as much as she might have liked to.)

Carson Beckett is a favorite, because he always gets to give some of their favorite characters (Ronon, McKay, definitely Sheppard) their comeuppance in the infirmary (big needles are a favorite), or else he's heroically saving the day by finding the cure just in time. It doesn't hurt that he's got that amazing Scottish accent or fantastic eyes, and certain women have been known to frequent the infirmary a bit more than really necessary. _Dr. Savoy, given the frequency of your paper cuts, etc., perhaps I should just give you a box of band-aids?_ Besides, he's sweet when he's not being grouchy, and has been known to let leak bits of gossip himself.

These are the six people who always come to dinner.

Laura Cadman, Radek Zelenka, Katie Brown, Evan Lorne, Kate Heighmeyer, and Stephen Caldwell, when he's in the area, will often join them.

Others have come and gone throughout the years, sometimes on invitation, sometimes out of curiosity.

They always say that they were welcomed, but that seeing the group of them, so comfortable, so tight-knit, they almost felt like they were staying with a friend's family, and couldn't imagine attending more than every once and awhile.

Depending on the status of trade agreements, the last time the Daedalus was in town, and the season on the mainland, the food ranges from the obscure to the familiar. Sheppard will coax even McKay into trying his usually-disastrous experiments when they're left with odd looking fruits and vegetables and too many spices. The man should not be allowed a kitchen.

There's never any food made with lemons.

Gossip says that Sheppard made this rule, not McKay. Beckett just smiles when you ask him.

Ronon is (surprisingly) a _fantastic_ cook. Supposedly, this is how the female guests-of-the-week will try to start a conversation with him. _Supposedly Dr. Royse got to first base with a line about his chocolate dessert._

The dinner takes place on Sunday.

Unless they're under attack. Or being invaded. Or kidnapped.

_The dinner takes place when Sheppard and Weir and Beckett decide over lunch. McKay is usually there, loudly protesting because he has some experiment._

_He hasn't missed one yet, except when he was in the infirmary._

_John missed that one, too._

Teyla is not allowed to use microwaves. Things either overcook or…explode. Things that should not explode. McKay has given her a very (too) thorough walkthrough on how to use them. Sheppard had given her a walkthrough that made sense. Ronon shrugged and showed her how it was done. She accidentally almost killed Weir when she was trying to show her.

So Teyla is not allowed to use microwaves.

_Someone_ likes to spike the punch. Protests are made. And yet the punch is always gone at the end of the night.

Dr. Weir should not be allowed to play poker. She seriously cleans up. _Rumor has it after too many glasses of Atlantis' moonshine one after-dinner session of poker turned into _strip_ poker. And despite quite a few hopeful scientists and soldiers, Dr. Weir did _not_ lose her shirt. Not even Beckett will confirm that one._

Some terrifyingly evil person showed up one night with a game of Monopoly, and special rules that allowed a larger group of people to play. _The game is impossible to win. Or end. _SGA-1 had a mission the next morning. They all overslept.

Dr. Weir would have liked to chew them out, but she didn't find out until she woke up.

Caldwell can drink anyone under the table. Except Cadman. This is fact, but no one will reveal the story behind it.

Cadman and Beckett are no longer allowed to grab their coats at the same time, since the last time that happened a very startled Lorne walked in on them making out like high school kids in the coat closet.

John Sheppard can beat Rodney McKay in a game of chess. McKay wouldn't talk to him for half a week. Sheppard had to win him over with coffee and promises to never play the game again.

Zelenka and Heightmeyer do not speak about that night that they left together. But certain things can be inferred.

Lorne did not find out about that until after he started dating Heightmeyer.

Everyone is welcome. Even Kavanagh was invited once. It didn't end well, but really, what did he expect when he insulted Weir in front of Sheppard?

McKay was absurdly proud of Sheppard. Hitting Kavanagh would've turned ugly, but humiliating the man mathematically? _Fantastic._

There has never been a game of Truth-or-Dare or Spin-the-Bottle, and the fact that if anyone questioned about it turns about three shades of pale and remembers they left something in their office/Puddle Jumper/training room/infirmary/spaceship proves this. Really.

Lorne is terrified of tigers. No one thought it would come up. It did explain his reaction to visiting "Planet Sabertooth," though. Sheppard very thoughtfully did not laugh. But then, Lorne had covered for him on "Planet Really-Fricking-Spicy-Food."

Teyla loves the _Indiana Jones_ movies and has been known to force a showing of them during dinner. Caldwell brought her back a Fedora from Earth in exchange for her never requesting back-to-back-to-back marathons again. He also (grudgingly) brought the fourth movie.

Zelenka is dangerous when it comes to Oreo cookies. The man is a lunger.

Ronon Does Not Like Oysters. _Kindly do not forget_.

Lorne and Sheppard are not allowed to sit next to each other if they have had too much sugar because there is a high probability that they will attempt to instigate a food fight. Aiming at McKay has proven to provide retaliation. Aiming at Cadman, though, is the key. She will attempt to return fire. _87% of the time she will miss._ _Hitting someone else (ideally McKay) in the face._

(A side note) Weir does not appreciate it when people get yogurt in her hair. Although Sheppard calmed her down with a couple of whispered words, and led her out, full of apologies and smiles. _Suspicious! Say certain rumors._

Katie Brown Does Not Approve of Star Trek DS9 or Voyager. Do Not Discuss Them With Her.

Lorne and Cadman bonded over loving Dr. Who. They've also got a fair following of converts. Teyla became extremely interested when she saw Captain Jack Harkness. They generally agree that Donna is awesome, although Cadman thinks Martha is badass and Lorne is more inclined to Rose. They will discuss Dr. Who for an entire dinner if they are not drawn into other conversations. Although mentioning Captain Jack's hair in front of Sheppard will put him on the defensive for the rest of the night.

Beckett tells the best drunken stories. Ever. Seriously. The man is a god.

Beckett and Caldwell spent twenty minutes laughing one night. When pressed as to why, they looked at each other, looked at their friends, and simultaneously said, "Nothing."

Ronon and McKay both love playing _Clue_ a little too much. Naturally, Cadman and Lorne made them watch the movie _Clue_. Brown and Heightmeyer made everyone watch _Clueless_. Sheppard and Weir brought out episodes of _Columbo_.

Katie Brown somehow blackmailed McKay into setting up karaoke. Zelenka, it turns out, has a rather amazing voice. Sheppard, however, does not.

Cadman is not allowed around darts. She cannot hit a dartboard to save her life. Or, entirely too realistically, someone else's.

Heightmeyer tells the best dirty jokes. _Rumor goes that she once made Ronon blush._

Sheppard and Lorne got McKay and Beckett to play Halo. Out of nowhere, Beckett kicked major butt. Lorne and Sheppard don't like talking about it.

McKay and Sheppard, Cadman and Lorne, Brown and Heightmeyer, can all turn into six-year olds if they're together too long. Of course, Beckett, Teyla, Ronon, Calwell, and even Weir are not immune. And really, isn't that point?

Dinner isn't about food. It's about company. It's about seriously bad singing and stupid games and awesome movies and getting all the Skittles during Poker. It's about pranks gone wrong, and finding out Weir was right and there really isn't enough room to play basketball. Arm wrestling and eye rolling.

John Sheppard, Rodney McKay, Ronon Dex, Teyla Emmagan, Elizabeth Weir, Carson Beckett. Six of the most influential people in Atlantis, having dinner. No shop talk. Talk about books and movies and television and countries and stories and adventures and whatever comes to mind. Whatever anyone wants.

_Dinner_.

Everyone's invited. Word travels, so everyone hears about it. Of course, everyone who goes is bound to end up the centerpiece of some rumor or other.

People like these people. _People care about these people._

_Dinner_ is said with a special inflection. Sheppard will ask, "Dinner?" when he has no plans and McKay has no plans and they're discussing their night.

Other times, though, Sheppard will remind McKay, "_Dinner,_" and McKay will grin and nod and actually stop whatever scientific experiment that he's working on.

It's not official, or routine, or anything like that. They'd like it to be a certain night or time or place, but this is Atlantis. Life doesn't work like that. But they manage it anyway.

Sheppard leans over to Beckett and Weir at lunch, eyebrow raised, and asks, "Daedalus get ins tomorrow. Dinner?"

And McKay, next to him, groans.

The next night, fourteen people wander with various pots and bowls down to what they've dubbed their "basement"—despite the fact that it's on the main floor. Caldwell brought Ronon a copy of _Live Free or Die Hard_, Sheppard made some hideous mixture that contains the Athosian-version of carrots and what may once have been potatoes and is chasing McKay around with a spoon. Beckett's checking Lorne's injured arm while discussing the Special of Dr. Who with him and Cadman, Zelenka and Teyla are chatting about getting stables in Atlantis or at least the mainland, Weir is explaining to Drs. Brown and Tyse why they can't make a shirtless men calendar for Atlantis, and others are wandering around talking and laughing and being _home_.

To the person, there's nowhere else in the universe they'd rather be.

_Finis_

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AN: So I love these people. A Lot. And sometimes it's just nice to write them happy and carefree.

Much love, Wolfie


End file.
